Williams' Suicide Highlights Secrecy Of Mental Illness

(San Francisco, CA) -- Comedian Robin Williams' apparent suicide is highlighting the secrecy and stigma of mental illness. Laura Edwards lost her son to suicide and now runs a survivor outreach program for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. She says many people think of depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental illnesses as nothing more than a bad mood, or a case of the blues.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death for Americans, with nearly 40-thousand reported suicides each year. The Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-TALK.